EPISTLE I. TO SIR RICHARD TEMPLE, LORD COBHAM. Of the Knowledg⋅ and Characters of Men. THE ARGUMENT. I. THAT it is not fufficient for this knowledge to confider man in the abftract: books will not ferve the purpose, nor yet our own experience fingly, ver. 1. General maxims, unless they be formed upon both, will but be notional, ver. 10. Some peculiarity in every man, characteristic to himself, yet varying from himself, ver. 15. Difficulties arifing from our own paffions, fancies, faculties, &c. ver. 31. The fhortnefs of life to obferve in, and the uncertainty of the principles of action in men to obferve by, ver. 37, &c. Our own principle of action often hid from ourfelves, ver. 41. Some few characters plain, but in general confounded, diffembled, or inconfiftent, ver. 51. The fame man utterly different in different places and feafons, ver. 71. Unimaginat le weakneffes in the greatest, ver. 70. &c. Nothing conftant and certain but God and nature, ver. 95. No judging of the motives from the actions; the fame actions proceeding from contrary motives, and the fame motives influencing contrary actions, ver. 100. II Yet, to form characters, we can only take the strongest actions of a man's life, and try to make them agree: the utter uncertainty of this, from nature itself and from policy, ver. 120. Characters given according to the rank of men of the world, ver. 135. And fome reafon for it, ver. 140. Education alters the nature, or at leaft character, of many, ver. 149. Actions, passions, opinions, manners, humours, or principles, all fubject to change. No judging by nature, from ver. 158. to ver. 178. Ill. It only remains to find (if we 'can) his ruling paffion: that will certainly influence all the reft, and can reconcile the feeming or real inconfiftency of all his actions, ver. 175. Inftanced in the extraordinary character of Clodio, ver. 179 A caution against mifaking fecond qualities for first, which will deftroy all poffibility of the knowledge of mankind, ver 210. Examples of the strength of the ruling paffion, and its continuation to the laft breath, ver. 222, &c. Yes, you defpife the man to books confin'd, vance Some general maxims, or be right by chance. And yet the fate of all extremes is fuch, Yet more; the difference is as great between The optics feeing, as the objects feen. All manners take a tincture from our own; Or come difcolour'd through our paffions shown. Or fancy's beam enlarges, multiplies, Contracts, inverts, and gives ten thousand dyes. 41 Nor will life's ftream for obfervation stay, It hurries all too faft to mark their way: In vain fedate reflections we would make, [take. When half our knowledge we must snatch, not Oft, in the paffion's wild rotation toft, Our fpring of action to ourselves is loft: Fir'd, not determin'd, to the last we yield, And what comes then is master of the field. As the laft image of that troubled heap, When fenfe fublides and fancy fports in fleep, (Though paft the recollection of the thought), Becomes the ftuff of which our dream is wrought: Something as dim to our internal view, Is thus, perhaps, the cause of most we do. 50 True, fome are open, and to all men known; Others, fo very clofe, they're hid from none; (So darkness ftrikes the fenfe no less than light), Thus gracious Chandos is belov'd at fight; And every chi d hates Shylock, though his foul Still fits at fquat, and peeps not from its hole. At half mankind when generous Manly raves, All know 'tis virtue, for he thinks them knaves: When univerfal homage Umbra pays, All fee 'tis vice, and itch of vulgar praife. When flattery glares, all hate it in a queen, While one there is who charms us with his spleen. But these plain characters we rarely find: Though ftrong the bent, yet quick the turns of mind: Or puzzling contraries confound the whole; See the fame man, in vigour, in the gout; Catius is ever m ral, ever grave, Thinks who endures a knave, is next a knave, 60 70 Who would not praise Patricio's high defert, His hand unftain'd, his uncorrupted heart, His comprehensive head! all interests weigh'd, All Europe fav'd, yet Britain not betray'd. He thanks you not, his pride is in picquette, Newmarket fame, and judgment at a bett. What inade (fay, Montagne, or more fage Charron !) Otho a warrior, Cromwell a buffoon? Know, God and nature only are the fame : ΙΘΙ 110 That what we chanc'd was what we meant to do. 119 But grant that actions best discover man; Take the moft ftrong, and fort them as you can. The few that glare, each character must mark, You balance not the many in the dark. What will you do with fuch as difagree? Suppress them, or miscall them policy? Muft then at once (the character to fave) The plain rough hero turn a crafty knave? Alas! in truth the man but chang'd his mind, Perhaps was fick, in love, or had not din'd. Af why from Britain Cæfar would retreat? Cæfar himself might whisper, he was beat. 130 Why risk the world's great empire for a punk? Cæfar perhaps might anfwer, he was drunk. But, fage hiftorians! 'tis your task to prove One action, conduct; one, heroic love. 'Tis from high life high characters are drawn: A faint in crape is twice a faint in lawn; A judge is just a chancellor juster still; A gownman, learn'd; a bishop, what you will; Wife, if a minister; but, if a king, More wife, more learn'd, more juft, more every thing. 140 Court-virtues bear, like gems, the highest rate, 'Tis education forms the common mind; Juft as the twig is bent, the tree's inclin'd. Boaftful and rough, your first son is a 'fquire; he next a tradefman, meek, and much a liar; Afk men's opinions: Scoto now shall tell > 160 170 That gay Free-thinker, a fine talker once, What turns him now a stupid, filent dunce ? Some god, or fpirit, he ha- lately found; Or chanc'd to meet a minifter that frown'd. Judge we by nature? Habit can efface, Intereft o'ercome, or policy take place: By action? thofe uncertainty divides! By paflions thefe diffimulation hides: Opinions? they ftill take a wider range : Find, if you can, in what you cannot change. Manners with fortunes, humours turn with climes, Tenets with books, and principles with times. Search then the ruling paffion: There, alone, The wild are conftant, and the cunning known; The fool confiftent, and the falfe fincere; Priefts, princes, women, no diffemblers here. I his clue once found, unravels all the rest, The profpect clears, and Wharton ftands confeft. Wharton, the fcorn and wonder of our days, 18 Whose ruling paffion was the luft of praise : Born with whate'er could win it from the wife, Women and fools muft like him, or he dies: VARIATIONS. After ver. 86. in the former editions. Triumphant leaders at an army's head, Hemn'd round with glories, pilfer cloth or bread; As meanly plunder as they bravely fought, Now fave a people, and now fave a groat. Ver. 129, in the former editions: Afk why from Britain Cæfar made retreat? VARIATIONS. The mighty Czar what mov'd to wed a punk? The aughty Czar would tell you he was drunk Altered as above, because Cæfar wrote his Commentaries of this war, and does not tell you he was beat. As Cæfar too afforded an inftance of both cafes, it was thought better to make him the single example. Though wondering fenates hung on all he spoke, A conftant bounty, which no friend has made; Yet, in this fearch, the wisest may mistake, aro In this one paffion man can ftrength enjoy, Old politicians chew on wifdom paft, 220 230 Behold a reverend fire, whom want of grace Has made the father of a nameless race, Shov'd from the wall perhaps, or rudley prefs'd By his own fon, that passes by unbless'd : Still to his wench he crawls on knocking knees, And envies every fparrow that he fees. A falmon's belly, Helluo, was thy fate; The doctor call'd, declares all help too late: "Mercy! cries Helluo, mercy on my foul! 240 "Is there no hope?-Alas!-then bring the jowl." VARIATIONS. In the former editions, ver. 208. Nature well known, no miracles remain. Altered, as above, for very obvious reafons. Of the Characters of Women. THERE is nothing in Mr. Pope's works more highly finished than this epiftle: Yet its fuccefs was in no proportion to the pains he took in compofing it. Something he chanced to drop in a fhort advertisement prefixed to it, on its first publication, may perhaps account for the fmall attention given to it. He faid that no one character in it was drawn from the life. The public believed him on his word, and expreffed little curiofity about a fatire, in which there was nothing perfonal. NOTHING fo true as what you once let fall, 10 Come then, the colours, and the ground prepare! Dip in the rainbow, trick her off in air; 19 Choose a firm cloud, before it fall, and in it Catch, ere the change, the Cynthia of this minute. Rufa, whofe eye, quick glancing o'er the Park, Attracts each light gay meteor of a spark, Agrees as ill with Rufa fudying Locke, As Sappho's diamonds with her dirty fmock; Or Sappho at her toilet's greafy task, With Sappho fragrant at an evening mask: So morning infects, that in muck begun, Shine, buzz, and fly-blow in the fetting fun. How foft is Silia! fearful to offend; The frail one's advocate, the weak one's friend. To her Caliita prov'd her conduct nice; And good Simplicius afks of her advice. Sudden, the ftorms fhe raves! You tip the wink, But fpare your cenfure; Silia does not drink. 29 eyes may fee from what the change arofe, All eyes may fee-a pimple on her nose. Papilla wedded to her amorous fpark, Sighs for the fhades" How charming is a park"" A park is purchas'd, but the fair. he fees 39 All bath'd in tears-" Oh odious, odious trees!" 'Tis to their changes half their charms we owe ; 50 60 To make a wash, would hardly ftew a child; VARIATIONS. Ver. 77 What has not fir'd, &c.] In the MS. In whofe mad brain the mix'd ideas roll, Of Tall-boy's breeches, and of Cæfar's foul. 70 As Helluo, late dictator of the feaft, 85 Flavia's a wit, has too much fense to pray; Totoaft our wants and wishes is her way; Nor afks of God, but of her ftars, to give The mighty bleffing," while we live, to live," go Then all for death, that opiate of the foul! Lucretia's dagger, Rofamonda's bowl. Say, what can caufe fuch impotence of mind? A fpark too fickle, or a spouse too kind. Wife wretch with pleasures too refin'd to please ; With too much spirit to be e'er at eafe; With too much quickness ever to be taught; With too much thinking to have common thought: You purchafe pain with all that joy can give, And die of nothing but a rage to live. 100 Turn then from wits; and look on Simo's mate, No afs fo meek, no ass so obftinate. Or her, that owns her faults, but never mends, Or her, who laughs at hell, (but like her Grace) Cries, "Ah! how charming, if there's no fuch place!" Or who in fwcet viciffitude appears Of mirth and opium, ratafie and tears, I 20 But what are thele to great Atossa's mind? Scarce once herself, by turns all womankind! Who, with herself, or others, from her birth Finds all her life one warfare upon earth: Shines in expofing knaves, and painting fools, Yet is, whate'er the hates and ridicules. No thought advances, but her eddy brain Whisks it about, and down it goes again. Full fixty years the world has been her trade, The wifeft fool much time has ever made. From loveless youth to unrefpected age, No paffion gratify'd, except her rage, So much the fury ftill out-ran the wit, The pleasure mifs'd her, and the scandal hit. Who breaks with her, provokes revenge from hell, But he's a bolder man who dares be well. Her every turn with violence pursued, Nor more a storm her hate than gratitude: To that each paflion turns, or foon or late; Love, if it makes her yield, must make her hate : Superiors? death! and equals? what a curfe! But an inferior not dependant? worle. VARIATIONS. After ver. 122, in the MS. 130 Opprefs'd with wealth and wit, abundance fad! One makes her poor, the other makes her mad. 140 Offend her, and she knows not to forgive; Pictures, like thefe, dear madam, to design, Afks no firm hand, and no unerring line; Some wandering touches, fome reflected light, Some flying ftroke alone can hit them right: For how fhould equal colours do the knack? Chameleons who can paint in white and black? "Yet Chloe fure was form'd without a fpot."Nature in her then err'd not, but forgot. "With every pleasing, every prudent part, "Say, what can Chloe want?"-She wants a heart. 160 She freaks, behaves, and acts just as she ought; The fame for ever! and defcrib'd by all VARIATIONS. After ver. 148, in the MS. 190 This death decides; nor lets the bleffing fall If Queensberry to ftrip there's no compelling. 200 210 In men we various ruling paffions find; In women, two almost divide the kind; Thofe, only fix'd, they first or laft obey, The love of pleafure, and the love of fway. That, nature gives; and where the lesson taught Is but to please, can pleasure seem a fault? Experience, this ;-by man's oppreffion curst, They feek the fecond not to lose the first. Men, fome to business, fome to pleasure take; But every woman is at heart a rake : Men, fome to quiet, fome to public ftrife; But every lady would be queen for life. Yet mark the fate of a whole fex of queens: Power all their end, but beauty all the means: 220 In youth they conquer with fo wild a rage, As leaves them fcarce a subject in their age: For foreign glory, foreign joy, they roam; No thought of peace or happiness at home. But wifdom's triumph is well-tim'd retreat, As hard a science to the fair as great! Beauties, like tyrants, old and friendless grown, Yet hate repofe, and dread to be alone, Worn-out in public, weary every eye, Nor leave one figh behind them when they die. Pleasures the fex, as children birds, pursue, 231 Still out of reach, yet never out of view; Sure, if they catch, to fpoil the toy at most, To covet flying, and regret when loft: At laft, to follies youth could fcarce defend, It grows their age's prudence to pretend;" Afham'd to own they gave delight before, Reduc'd to feign it, when they give no more: As hags hold Sabbaths, lefs for joy than spite, So these their merry, miferable night; Still round and round the ghofts of beauty glide, And haunt the places where their honour dy'd. VARIATIONS. After ver. 198. in the MS. 240 Fain I'd in Fulvia fpy the tender wife; Ver. 207, in the first edition: In feveral men we feveral paffions find; [kings, |